Blog Scam Awareness Day
1 Feb
In collaboration with a number of other bloggers, we have declared today as Blog Scam Awareness Day.
Last year I wrote a detailed post about my personal experience with a particularly popular blog designer. You can read the full post here.
Since then, that post is consistently the most viewed post on Hope Dies Last. It is also on the first page of Google when you search the name of that Design Studio followed by the word complaint. This clearly suggests to me that there are many other people out there that have gone through a similar experience. In fact, there are people that were scammed after me that shouldn’t have because my post didn’t reach a broad enough audience.There are people that were scammed after me because I gave up.
This is my attempt to correct that.
Blog Scam Awareness Day is a day to reach out to all bloggers in a united and concerted effort to protect each other; to share our stories so that others will not fall into the same trap.
The facts as I know them are these…
Name: Jessica Bailey Sanderson [Also goes by the names of tattooed mama and mamabearjess.]
Previous Owner of: Cuppycake Designs, Delicious Design Studio, Web Design Gal. [Please note: The current owner of Delicious Design Studio is not affiliated with Jessica in any way and is as much, if not more, of a victim as the rest of us]
Number of bloggers she has taken money from but never fulfilled her obligations: Anywhere between 20 and 80.Possibly more.
Average amount she has taken from each blogger: Based on other accounts I have read, this is probably between $100-$150. [I payed $222.] In addition, according to Flippa [formerly Marketplace] in May 2009, she sold her business in an online auction for $50, 000.
In October of 2009, I was informed that Jessica had set up a new company–Web Design Gal. But after being confronted by another scammed blogger, that site was removed. As it stands now, she very well could be operating under a different name.
Our goals:
1. To increase awareness so that this particular designer does not continue to work in this way [under any name]. But to also discourage others who may want to take advantage of the anonymity that the internet provides.
2. To attempt to collect a detailed and comprehensive list of all bloggers who have been affected by Jessica.
3. To protect each other.
What can you do?
If you have also been scammed or know of someone who has been scammed by Jessica, fill out this form.
Spread the word. Twitter, link or repost.
And finally, I know that some will disagree with this course of action. I–myself–have been hesitant to name and shame. It feels dirty. It goes against my nature. Please be aware that most of us have exhausted all the ‘right ways’ of complaining. I have filed complaints with Paypal, the Better Business Bureau and the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection. This has achieved nothing. And every time I hear of yet another person who lost money and got no design, I am filled with disbelief and rage. How is it possible that in a tightly knit community of bloggers that inspired the Love Harder movement [Go! Donate! Shop!] we have allowed this to happen? How is it possible that this person has not been held to account?
If blogging camaraderie can inspire us to Love Harder, I also think that blogging should inspire us to protect each other.
Even if, sometimes, it feels uncomfortable.
Thanks to the following bloggers for taking a stand with me.
This was so well written in a mature and professional manner. I applaud you. Thank you so much for helping and protecting those of us, like yourself, who were unfortunately affected by this.
My experience is here:
http://www.tattoosandcupcakes.com/2010/02/blog-scam-awareness.html
I fiiiinally updated. And mentioned your blogging bitch thingy too. I’m so nice.
That is so scary? How do people get away with things like this?
Thank you. I’ve been thinking about hiring a blog designer, so you definitly gave me some things to think about!
WOW. I had no idea her scam had affected quite that number of people. That’s ridiculous! And bravo to you for doing something about it!
I feel really bad for you guys who have been affected by this, and as for the poor person who now owns her old business . . . he must be totally regretting that move!
I didn’t even know this had happened and I do think some of the other bloggers I read have used her before. How terrible. Thanks for letting us know!
It’s a shame that one person has had such ill and long-lasting effects on so many. If you can tell me what you plan to do once you have a list of former clients who have been scammed (you don’t state it here), I’d be happy to join your ranks and spread the word. Let me know.
I filled out the form. Thanks for helping spread the message…
I just posted about my experience here:
http://jinkysmithers.com/2010/02/07/blog-scam-awareness-day-aka-buyer-beware/
Nothing new to report–I paid, got nothing, that’s the end of that.
I’m still disgusted that there are so many people having issues with Jess, some of them dating back to 2008. I could understand if one or two people fell through the cracks–not acceptable, but it could happen–but now we’re talking clients in the double digits. You’d have to be either lazy or malicious or both to accumulate that much ire.
What a bitch. I hope she gets a piece of her own shit. Trust me, Karma will get her.